Author
Topic: Camembert - black like mould growth (Read 550 times)

HiIve tried to make camembert 3 times now and all three times around 8 days after leaving it at 12 degrees it develops round black marks which is a mould of sorts.I stored the camembert in plastic containers with the cheese on a perforated tray inside the container. Every day I took the cheese out and turned it over and drained out any liquid in the plastic container that formed overnight. The containers did seem very humid inside though and at times I would wipe the cheese to remove excess sweatingCan anyone helpThanksCarlo

Too much humidity , are the containers airtight , they need some air exchange.

Hands sanitized when handling , everything should be very clean to keep from contaminating them when handling , even during make.

I have two going right now , I keep mine covered but not in airtight containers , they seem to do well this way.

I just keep mine at room temperature under vented cake covers for four or five days or so , then when the white mold is fairly heavy and even , I pat them down and wrap in cheese wrap and finish aging in a refrigerator.

Logged

No..........I'm not a professional CheeseMaker , but I play one on TV.

I've had mould growth issues this year too, and everybody who has touched the cheeses has been given the third degree. I have the following advice

1) It's been pretty wet earlier this year on the highveld - so there has been more spore around (it has been a challenge this year to avoid contamination, don't be discouraged).

2) I once made white mould cheese where the milk was contaminated (before being pasturised) and I got an allsorts pink, blue, black like a speckled egg, so you may want to try a different milk source if 3-6 do not work.

3) Do you use Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium camemberti in the make, and do you pasteurise? (all these will boost the the right white growth)

4) It is most likely to be contamination during ripening. Unlike jwalker, I close the containers and am not too worried about moisture, just as long as everything is well decontaminated at the start. For instance, my perforated trays are soaked in dilute peracetic acid directly before being used. I have a clean gauze on the lid to catch the drips from the condensation under the lid from dripping directly on to the cheeses. I say all this because my coolroom is used for all sorts of other processes and I cannot guarantee that vented box wouldn't be an invitation for contamination, and draining the boxes is way too much effort!

5) In addition to the hand san, etc, I avoid opening the boxes in a draft or where dust can drift down (like under cupboards/ shelving) and do not lean over the open boxes. Also check the inside of you cooler/fridge as well, and underneath of the shelving, that pesky black mold hides everywhere.

6) You could try to work out the actual contamination source: are they finger sized/shaped? Are they always drip sized (compare to the condensation size) or sort of "generalised dusting"? do they occur on both sides of the cheese or in the pattern of the tray?

Thank youI do pasteurize and the spores I use are the ones I got from Cheret.The mold is typically round.What can I wipe things down with inside the cooler to ensure I kill the mold?When you say clean gauze on the lid can you explain how/what - Ive been using a lunch type box - do I need to stick something on the lid inside to capture the condensation?Thanks and sorry about all the questions

What can I wipe things down with inside the cooler to ensure I kill the mold?

I would start with good ole hot soapy water and tools from toothbrush to pot scrubber, then rinse the cooler clean. I'm a big fan of the dilute peracetic acid, because at the end all you are left with is water and acetic acid, others would do a bleach rinse (see http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11361.msg87645.html#msg87645 -"pc infestation in my cave!"), or fungal sprays (but I'd be concerned about the spray residual killing the white molds)

When you say clean gauze on the lid can you explain how/what - Ive been using a lunch type box - do I need to stick something on the lid inside to capture the condensation?

You have the idea: condensation capturing. Use paper toweling/gauze etc (which you sterilize in the oven at 120C, if you have concerns...or are ocd), place it over the lunch box and use an elastic around the sides, then place the lunch box lid on. Or fold the toweling around the lid and tape it on the outside. The lunch box needs to be high enough to allow for a little sagging of the towel without it touching the cheese. Hope that makes sense.